Vogue and Valentino aren’t exactly names you associate with eco-fashion, but Gale Parker — who served as a fashion editor for the former and a muse for the latter — is now putting her 30 years of experience in the fashion industry towards eco-fashion. Last week, Gale opened a new green boutique in West Hollywood called Clothespin, featuring her own vintage-inspired fashion pieces alongside a collection of handpicked vintage dresses and accessories.

Gale’s 40s-inspired blouses, skirts, and dresses are all made with never-worn vintage 40s fabrics, buttons, and threads. How is a never-worn fabric green? “The way I like to refer to this is ‘resurrected,’” says Gale. “I’m using something that’s already been produced, that’s been tucked away and been forgotten.”

While I do wonder why fashion people in the 1940s made so much excess fabric it’s hanging around unused some 60 years later, it’s nice to see the whimsical vintage fabrics being put to fun, stylish use. “40s is just a period that I love,” says Gale — who says she’d like to just live in comfy pajamas if she could. “There’s something very comfortable and feminine about the styles.”

Gale (above left, with friend) says she wants to combine fashion and function for women of any age, any size. At her opening party, she whipped off her belt to demonstrate how her dresses — one of which she was wearing — can be worn belted up for more structured style — or belt-free for a more casual but still fun look.

The vintage-inspired dresses, blouses and skirts do certainly look comfortable, and the whimsical vintage rayon fabrics are each unique conversation-starters too. Plus, all Clothespin pieces are made locally. In fact, eco-fashionistas can stop by the store for a custom fitting — and pick from the many vintage fabrics and buttons on the shelves — for a unique, made-to-fit-you-perfectly piece.

Even the Clothespin store itself’s decorated with vintage furniture pieces — with some of the fashions displayed on clotheslines! Visit the store to browse Gale’s designs — which start at about $380 each — or her vintage fashion and jewelry picks if you’d rather go with pre-loved pieces.

Clothespin. 8654 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. 310.967.0108.

Top photo via Clothespin; all other photos by Siel

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